Grading machines

ABSTRACT

A machine, particularly a grading machine, comprising a draw bar having a tool support depending therefrom through a vertical pivot to enable angling of the support, a grading blade or other tool is carried on the front of the support which has a pair of wheels attached to a beam at the rear thereof; the blade or other tool can be raised and lowered as well as angled and the wheels can be steered by an operator sitting on a seat behind the tool support.

United States Patent Inventors John Reginald Flood Chester; John BarrRogerson, Mynydd-lsa, near Mold, both of England Appl. No. 797,878 FiledFeb. 10, 1969 Patented Sept. 28, 1971 Assignee Universal Graders LimitedPentre, Queemperry, Deeslde, Fllntshire, Great Britain Priority Feb. 12,1968 Great Britain 6778/68 GRADING MACHINES 9 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

U.S. 172/200, 172/289, 172/291, 172/398, 172/507, 172/780 Int. Cl. A01b49/02, A01b 63/16, A0 lb 6 5/04 [50] Field of Search 172/395, 398, 407,413,197,199, 200, 780, 783, 288, 291,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,142,985 l/ 1939 Arndt172/291 X 2,197,390 4/1940 Arndt 172/507 X 3,376,937 4/ 1968 Groberg172/780 3,428,133 2/1969 Young et al. 172/398 X Primary Examiner-RobertE. Pulfrey Assistant Examiner-Stephen C. Pellegrino Attorney-1-lolman &Stern ABSTRACT: A machine, particularly a grading machine, comprising adraw bar having a tool support depending therefrom through a verticalpivot to enable angling of the support, a grading blade or other tool iscarried on the front of the support which has a pair of wheels attachedto a beam at the rear thereof; the blade or other tool can be raised andlowered as well as angled and the wheels can be steered by an operatorsitting on a seat behind the tool support.

PATENTEU SEP2 8 Ian sum 1 m 2 caxnmc MACHINES This invention relates tomachines for ground treatment such as surface grading, agriculturalploughing, see drilling, fertilizer spreading, snow or sand, grading,cultivating, digging, and carrying, spreading and levelling earth etc.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved form ofmachine for ground treatment, which is economic to produce, relativelysimple to operate and whose treatment tool can be readily angled andsteered independently of a power unit for moving the machine when themachine is not self-driven.

According to the present invention there is provided a grad ing machinecomprising a main bar, a grading blade, a vertical pivot connecting thegrading blade with the main bar so that the blade is pivotable relativeto the main bar about a vertical axis, a pair of spaced, short beamsextending rearwardly of and closely adjacent to the blade and beingconnected with the back of the blade through the intermediary of avertical pivot and a horizontal pivot, a wheel mounted on each beamclosely behind the grading blade, means for turning each beam about itshorizontal pivot so as to effect raising or lowering of the blade, andmeans for pivoting the grading blade about the vertical pivotirrespective of the position of the main bar whereby the grading bladecan be angled without altering the direction of travel of the gradingmachine.

Preferably means are provided for steering the wheels.

The main bar is preferably a draw bar and may be adapted to be attachedto a vehicle provided with a source of hydraulic power, and the gradingblade is arranged to be pivoted, raised, lowered and steered byhydraulic means. Alternatively, the machine may be provided with its ownsource of power.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way ofexample, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

F IG. 1 is a plan view of a ground-grading machine according to thepresent invention, and

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the machine shown in FIG. 1.

The ground-grading machine has a hollow, elongate draw bar 1 having atowing link 2 at its forward end for connection to a tractor (notshown). Towards the rear end of the drawbar 1 is mounted a support beam3 through the intermediary of a vertical pivot joint 4. The support beam3 mounts a grading blade 5 under the draw bar 1. intermediate the pivot3 and each end of the blade 5 there is provided a vertical supportpillar 6 attached to the rear of the blade 5. A vertical bar 7 ispivotally attached to each pillar 6 via a vertical pivot 8 cooperatingwith a horizontal arm 9 attached at one end to the top of each bar 7.

Each bar 7 has a rearwardly extending beam 10 attached adjacent thelower end of the bar 7 through a horizontal pivot 11. Intermediate theends of each beam 10 there is provided a horizontal pivot point 12 towhich is attached the piston arm 13 of a hydraulic piston 8 and cylinderdevice 14 whose cylinder is pivoted through a horizontal pivot 15 to thebar 7 at a location towards the top end of the bar 7. A wheel 16 ismounted on a stub axle 17 carried at the free end of the beam 10 beyondthe pivot point 12.

Adjacent the top end of each pillar 6 the rear end of an elongatehorizontal piston and cylinder device 18 is attached through a verticalpivot 40. The piston rod 19 of each device 18 is attached through avertical pivot 20 to the draw bar 1 at a location intermediate thetowing link 2 and the pivot joint 4.

The top end of the vertical pivot joint 4 also supports a lever 21 atone end thereof. The other end of the lever 21 has pivoted thereto twopairs of track rods 22 through a vertical pivot 23, there being one pairof track rods 22 extending laterally on either side of the lever 21. Theouter ends of the two pairs of track rods 22 are connected to the freeends of the respective arms 9 through a vertical pivot 24.

A further hydraulic piston and cylinder device 25 is pivotally attachedat one end to the lever 21 intermediate the ends thereof and at theother end to a plate 26 connected with the drawbar 1.

A scarifier indicated generally by the arrow 27 is located towards theforward end of the drawbar l and can be raised and lowered by operationof another piston and cylinder device 28.

The scarifier 27 is pivotally mounted on two pairs of upper and lowerarms 41 and 42 respectively, pivotally mounted on a beam 43 dependingfrom the main bar 1. A crossmember 44 connects the two lower arms 42together and has pivotally connected thereto one end of the piston andcylinder device 28 whose other end is pivotally attached to thedepending beam 43. Thus, operation of the piston and cylinder device 28causes pivoting of the arms 41 and 42 about their connection with thebeam 43 and raising or lowering of the scarifier 27 depending upon thedirection of movement of the piston and cylinder device 28.

An operator's adjustable seat 29 is provided between the wheels 16 and acontrol panel 30 containing a 4 spool valve (not shown) provided withtwo control levers 31 is mounted in front of the seat 29 to control theoperation of the hydraulic piston and cylinder devices l4, l8 and 25,the hydraulic piston and cylinder device 28 controlling the scarifier 27being controlled by another control lever and valve (not shown).

The usual hydraulic pipe connections (not shown) are provided betweenthe control panel and the piston and cylinder devices and furtherhydraulic pipes passing through or along the hollow draw bar 1 connectthe valves to a conventional hydraulic fluid pump on the tractor.

In operation with the grading machine is connected up to the tractor, anoperator on the tractor draws the grading machine behind the tractoracross the ground to be graded. By appropriate operation of the controllever 31, he can raise or lower the grading blade 5 by effectingmovement of the piston and cylinder devices 14 attached between thebeams 10 and the bars 7 in order to remove the desired amount ofmaterial in the desired places. Extension of the piston and cylinderdevices 14 causes the grading blade 5 to be lifted, whilst retraction ofthe piston and cylinder devices 14 cause the grading blade 5 to belowered.

The efiective width and angle of the grading blade 5 can be varied atwill by operating the hydraulic piston and cylinder devices 18 attachedbetween the draw bar 1 and the pillars 6 so that the grading blade 5 isangled to the desired extent. The track rods 22 and pivotal mounting ofthe bars 7 on the pillar 6 enable the wheels 16 to swivel relative tothe blade 5 so that they are in correct alignment regardless of thedirection and degree of angle of the blade 5 to which they areconnected. The machine is so designed that the-wheels are as near aspossible to the back of the grading blade 5 and that regardless of theangle of the blade 5, the wheels 16 always lie behind the blade 5 in thepath of the graded ground so that movement of the blade 5 due to one orboth of the wheels 16 rolling over ungraded ground is avoided.

An angling of the blade 5 of as much as 40 on either side of the centerposition shown in FIG. 1 is possible.

The wheels 16 can be steered independently of the tractor by operationof the hydraulic piston and cylinder device 25 to angle the wheels asmuch as 25 on either side of their straight ahead position.

The length of the drawbar and location of the wheels directly behind theblade serve to reduce any undesirable vertical movement of the blade dueto the vertical movement of the tractor when travelling over theungraded ground.

In a second embodiment (not shown) a machine for grading the surface ofthe ground has a hollow, elongate draw bar adapted for connection at oneend to a tractor. Adjacent the other end of the draw bar is mounted agrading blade through the intermediary of a vertical pivot joint betweenthe drawbar and the middle of a support frame carrying the grading bladeunder the drawbar. The frame extends along substantially the wholelength of the grading blade and, at each end, is provided with avertical pillar to which is pivotally attached a vertical bar. Each barhas a beam pivotally attached to the lower end thereof. The beam extendsrearwardly of the grading blade which faces towards the tractorconnectable end of the drawbar. A wheel mounted on a stub axle iscarried by each beam. Between the top end of each bar and that part ofits associated beam adjacent the stub axle is pivotally mounted ahydraulic piston and cylinder device for effecting vertical movement ofthe grading blade.

The end of the drawbar remote from the end connectable to the tractorpivotally mounts a pair of tie rods, each tie rod extending laterally oneither side of the drawbar and being pivotally attached to the bladeremote end of the beam on either side of the drawbar.

A pair of hydraulic piston and cylinder devices are pivoted to thedrawbar and to either end of the grading blade frame. Hydraulic fluidsupply lines from the tractor to the hydraulic piston and cylinderdevices on the machine are led through or along the outside of thehollow drawbar, and valves are provided to control the devices in orderto control pivoting, raising, lowering and steering movements of theblade.

If desired, by suitable location of the valves, for example, on apivotal arm, the grading machine can be operated from the tractor seator a seat provided behind the blade, either on the drawbar, or on thegrading blade frame to one side of the drawbar. In the latter position,a less obstructed view of the ground to be graded is possible.

In a third embodiment of the grading machine (also not shown), thearrangement is similar to the second embodiment described hereinbeforeexcept that the two separate tie rods pivoted between the drawbar andbeams carrying the wheels are replaced by a single or split tie rodextending between and pivoted to the blade remote end of the two beams.A hydraulic ram may be connected from one or each beam to the frame atthe rear of the blade. This arrangement is such that when the or eachhydraulic ram is in its neutral position the wheels of the gradingmachine still automatically align themselves to the direction of travel,but if the or each hydraulic ram is extended or retracted the gradingmachine is caused to run to one side or other of the center line of thedrawing vehicle. In this manner, it is possible to offset the gradingmachine by as much as 6 or 7 feet from the grading line and it istherefore possible for an operator of the grading machine to steer veryaccurately when grading adjacent walls, fences and corners. With thespeed of the drawing suitably reduced, it is considered possible tograde right up to the site perimeter thereby virtually eliminatingmanual grading of the perimeter as is normally required.

It will be appreciated that the hydraulic piston and cylinder devicescan be replaced by any equivalent devices, for instance, rack and fixedpinion devices and that, in the place of a tractor, any suitable vehiclemay be employed to draw the grading machine. lfdesired, an animal may beemployed in the place of a vehicle.

If desired, a machine according to the present invention may beself-propelled or propelled by a vehicle arranged to push the machinerather than draw it.

If the grading machine is to be self-propelled or drawn by a vehicle nothaving a suitable attachment for drawing the grading machine in asemirnounted fashion as described above, a further pair of wheels and asuitably modified drawbar may be employed.

The devices for adjusting the vertical position and angle of the gradingblade and the angling of the wheels may be operated manually or by asmall prime mover on the grading machine, if desired. The manualoperation may be effected mechanically or hydraulically using a manuallyoperable pump.

If desired, the blade may be arranged to be tipped or tilted by rotationabout a horizontal axis.

Instead of employing hydraulic rams to angle the tool support a pair oftie rods pivotally attached between the tool support and the forward endof the drawbar may be employed, each tie rod being arranged to beattached at any one of a number of spaced locations along the drawbar sothat the desired angle of the tool support can be selected by selectionof the appropriate locations at which to pivot the tie rods.Alternatively, a chain or cable attached to each end of the tool supportand passing round a capstan or the like on the drawbar may be provided.The capstan or the like is rotatable by a drive operated by a handwheellocated in front of an operator of the machine.

if desired, the machine may be ballasted by earth, sand or the like in aballast box located on the machine behind the tool support, the ballastbox being provided with a removable side or bottom to enable the ballastto be dumped when desired.

It will be manifest that a machine according to the present inventioncan be adapted for use in grading and seeding, in clearing snow or sandor in agricultural ploughing instead of surface grading.

We claim:

1. A grading machine comprising a grading blade, a main bar, a verticalpivot means connecting the main bar with the grading blade so that thegrading blade is pivotable about a vertical axis relative to the mainbar, means between the grading blade and the main bar for pivou'ng thegrading blade about said vertical pivot means irrespective of theposition of the main bar, a pair of spaced, short beams extendingrearwardly of the grading blade on either side of the center thereof,vertical and horizontal pivot means connecting each of the spaced, shortbeams with the back of the grading blade, a wheel rotatably mounted oneach short beam, each of said wheels being located closely behind thegrading blade, and means disposed between each beam and the gradingblade for turning each beam separately about its horizontal pivot meansso as to effect raising and/or lowering of the grading blade.

2. The grading machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein means are providedbetween the main bar and said beams for steering the wheels.

3. The grading machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means forpivoting the grading blade includes fluid power means provided betweenthe main bar and the grading blade.

4. The grading machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein each beam isattached to a bar by means of the horizontal pivot means of saidvertical and horizontal pivot means, said bar being pivotally connectedby means of the vertical pivot means of said vertical and horizontalpivot means to a support behind the blade.

5. The grading machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the means forturning each beam comprise a piston and cylinder device pivotallyattached at one end to the bar and at the other end to the beamassociated with each wheel.

6. The grading machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein means are providedfor steering the wheels, said means comprising a lever pivoted to themain bar, track rod means pivotally connecting the lever with each saidbar and a piston and cylinder device connected to the lever and to amember fixed to the main bar and arranged to efiect movement of thelever to steer the wheels.

7. The grading machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main bar is adrawbar whereby the machine can be drawn by a powered vehicle.

8. The grading machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein the means forangling the grading blade comprises a pair of piston and cylinderdevices connected between the main bar and the grading blade.

9. The grading machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein a scarifier isattached to the main bar.

1. A grading machine comprising a grading blade, a main bar, a verticalpivot means connecting the main bar with the grading blade so that thegrading blade is pivotable about a vertical axis relative to the mainbar, means between the grading blade and the main bar for pivoting thegrading blade about said vertical pivot means irrespective of theposition of the main bar, a pair of spaced, short beams extendingrearwardly of the grading blade on either side of the center thereof,vertical and horizontal pivot means connecting each of the spaced, shortbeams with the back of the grading blade, a wheel rotatably mounted oneach short beam, each of said wheels being located closely behind thegrading blade, and means disposed between each beam and the gradingblade for turning each beam separately about its horizontal pivot meansso as to effect raising and/or lowering of the grading blade.
 2. Thegrading machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein means are providedbetween the main bar and said beams for steering the wheels.
 3. Thegrading machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for pivotingthe grading blade includes fluid power means provided between the mainbar and the grading blade.
 4. The grading machine as claimed in claim 1,wherein each beam is attached to a bar by means of the horizontal pivotmeans of said vertical and horizontal pivot means, said bar beingpivotally connected by means of the vertical pivot means of saidvertical and horizontal pivot means to a support behind the blade. 5.The grading machine as Claimed in claim 4, wherein the means for turningeach beam comprise a piston and cylinder device pivotally attached atone end to the bar and at the other end to the beam associated with eachwheel.
 6. The grading machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein means areprovided for steering the wheels, said means comprising a lever pivotedto the main bar, track rod means pivotally connecting the lever witheach said bar and a piston and cylinder device connected to the leverand to a member fixed to the main bar and arranged to effect movement ofthe lever to steer the wheels.
 7. The grading machine as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the main bar is a drawbar whereby the machine can bedrawn by a powered vehicle.
 8. The grading machine as claimed in claim3, wherein the means for angling the grading blade comprises a pair ofpiston and cylinder devices connected between the main bar and thegrading blade.
 9. The grading machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein ascarifier is attached to the main bar.